Army trying to figure out what to do with 20,000 mine-resistant trucks

The venerable HMMWV served the United States military as the go-to vehicle for 25 solid years. Before that, various militarized Jeep models had been pressed into service since 1941, when the army first identified the need for a lightweight, all-terrain vehicle capable of carrying a few troops and all their gear into battle.

It seems the so-called Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle (MRAPS for short) aren't going to have the same kind of life expectancy as their predecessors. According to CNN, the military is finding it difficult to cook up uses for the 20,000 MRAPS it possesses that are no longer needed for the war in Iraq, where the threat of improvised explosive devises necessitated gigantic V-shaped hulls and several tons of armor.

Due to the sheer size and weight of the machines, along with the specialized nature of their design, the military isn't likely to continue using MRAPS in differing battlefield conditions after troops are pulled from Afghanistan in 2014. So, what will become of these 20,000 MRAPS? So far, the only option on the list is for mine clearing and explosive ordinance disposal. Thing is, they don't need 20,000 of them for that.

In any case, one thing is for certain: Lives were saved due to the ability of the MRAPS to protect U.S. troops from roadside explosives (see above). And for that, everyone is thankful. As far as the future goes... may we suggest heavily armored food trucks? Or perhaps the SEMA Show circuit?

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Of course, we will NEVER EVER again face an enemy that employs remote controlled roadside bombs. Impossible. Scrap them all!
Realistic solution: grease them up, preserve the engines, and put them in one of the airplane graveyards out in the desert. Keep some around for training purposes.

They ought to be powerful enough to turn into snow plow trucks to keep the nation's interstates and rural back roads in Maine and the Dakotas open in the winter; a little experimentation might even let them run on cornfuel. Also, detuned, those engines could make great motors for generators. I'll take them if it comes to giving them away...

20,000 supposedly mineproof army vehicles, armed to the teeth with firepower. 20,000 brave participants. 1000 square miles of land mines and literally killer terrain, and $1 billion dollars to the sole survivor.
...or, you know, just keep em in storage and sell some to a few multi millionaires and dictators.

the DHS just started taking delivery of 2700+ mraps(what for other than to make it easier to squelch individual freedom in this USofA I have no idea) at least they could use these excess machines rather than spend tax $on new ones !

Obviously, you have never worked in the federal government. The GSA has a HUGE website where government agencies send all their surplus stuff. Other agencies are supposedly required to look here first before buying new gear. But in government circles using surplus vehicles or computers marks you as a second-class agency. Its like a teenager doing their clothes shopping at the goodwill store. Being "important" enough to get funding for new gear is essential to your status as a fed. What Congress needs to do is make it a felony to buy new equipment if usable surplus gear was available. But of course, that would hurt the defense contractors that support the Clowngress with campaign contri-bribe-tions.